Synopsis:
This vividly rendered novel reads like HBO’s Game of Thrones . . . if it were set in the Ottoman Empire. Ambitious in scope and intimate in execution, the story’s atmospheric setting is rife with political intrigue, with a deftly plotted narrative driven by fiercely passionate characters. Fans of Victoria Aveyard’s THE RED QUEEN, Kristin Cashore’s GRACELING, and Sabaa Tahir’s AN EMBER IN THE ASHES won’t want to miss this visceral, immersive, and mesmerizing novel, the first in a trilogy.

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

From New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White comes the first book in a dark, sweeping new series in which heads will roll, bodies will be impaled . . . and hearts will be broken.

My thoughts prior to reading:

I received this book from a Twitter giveaway. Once I glimpsed at the synopsis I knew I had to read it, plus that cover is stunning.

My thoughts after reading:

The book started of strong introducing you to the main characters when they were children and you get to see them grow up. Lada is strong and not afraid to speak her mind while her brother Radu is the complete opposite he is quiet but people naturally gravitate towards him and confide in him. Lada and Radu are sent to the Ottomans only because his father seeks some sort of protection. Lada and Radu are both upset by this, Lada more so than Radu. For her Walachia holds a large part in her heart it is her country, and her home. Not once does she forget her home while she is living in a foreign country. Their time there is however not all bad. They make a friend, Mehmed, who is also the heir to the Ottoman's empire. As time progresses their friendship only grows stronger but time also brings trials for them. They each do what they can to overcome them. Lada, Radu and Mehmed's friendship truly becomes tested when their friendships warps into a love triangle that will test their loyalty.

I enjoyed this book but when I was about 3/4 of the way it got really slow and I almost thought about putting it down but I didn't and I must admit the ending was magnificent. The book is nearly 500 pages long so if you don't like long books this may not be for you. There were a lot of points through out the book that I began to loose interest but it usually picks back up. This book is part of a series The Conquerors Saga. With that being said will I be reading the next book? Probably not there were too many times when the plot got slow and boring and the fact that I almost stopped reading doesn't help. I will most likely wait and see what other people think of the second book then decide to pick it up or not.